Auditorium



J. E. VARIN 1,948,892

AUDITORIUM Filed Oct. ll, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 27, 1934.

Patented Feb. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE Application October 11, 1929, Serial No. 398,946 In France November 14, 1928 1 Claim.

This invention relates to the construction of theatres, cinemas, hospitals, or the like where the public are admitted in large numbers to ensure emcient protection in the case of fire, both 5 against the lire itself and against the panic, which is produced in such circumstances. The invention allows for limiting the material damage in the case of a serious outbreak.

The invention is essentially characterized in that the floor of the hall, as Well as all other galleries open to the public, is supported by one or more columns, which can be lowered in case of nre, in order to bring the said floor to ground level, or underground, where very large exit doors may be provided along alll sides, this lowering movement being carried out simultaneously'with the positioning of a safety ceiling which takes the place of the licor, either by sliding or descending from above, so that the audience is protected during the lowering of the floor, and the damage limited, whilst separating the upper part of the theatre, which is stationary, from the moving part.

It relates more particularly to a method of carrying out the invention, in which the movable part of the theatre is mounted on a nut which can only move parallelly to itself without rotating, and inside which is mounted a hollow bolt which, during the lowering, rotates, screwing itself up, owing to the pressure exerted on the said nut, the movement of raising the licor being obtained by the expansion of a mixture of gases.

The invention also includes a modiiication consisting in providing the upper stationary galleries with tip up traps at the height of each gallery or iioor, built into the walls of the building, or forming this itself, which, when they are let down into the horizontal position, prolong outside the building the floor of the gallery from which the audience, Which is already sheltered from the ilames and the heat, can be rescued rapidly in any suitable manner by ladders, stairs, hoists, inclined passages or the like.

To avoid all panic and limit the material damage the tiers or banks of seats in the case of theatres or schools, and beds in the case of hospitals, may be mounted on slides, and ahxed outside the trap, when this is lowered. A iioor on slides will be necessary in the case when the trap wall is partially glazed, as in a school or hospital, so that the glazed surface, being thus covered, there is no special danger to the audience in passing over the glass.

The stationary parts between the traps may be provided with exterior balconies, placed at the same level as the traps, and connecting between them, so as to allow for passing from one trap to the next, in cases where there is greater danger at one side of the stationary part, for example, if the flames, fanned by the wind, escape through a window and obstruct the audience before they have been evacuated from the trap by direct descent. With this connection by balconies the traps all around the structure form a platform, without a break in the continuity, from where the iiremen can more easily iight the lire.

The whole of the installation, lower iioor and tip up traps, may be connected by the same mechanism operated for example by an electric switch (or in other manner), it being understood that the current should be taken from another main than that providing the light and power for the needs of the hall and the stage. In this way, operating simultaneously below and in the galleries, the audience will be taken out of danger in the space of ve or six seconds, without possible panic, and above allwithout any one needing to leave their place during the very short timeoccupied by the operation.

This arrangement, provided for the evacuation of halls where the public is received in large numbers, may also be adapted to any private dwelling structure for the safeguard and security of the inmates, whatever the height of the structure and number of iioors.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings:-v

Fig. l is a longitudinal section.

Fig. ,2 shows a modification for moving the separating wall into position.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the arrangement for the galleries the right hand part of the drawing showing the traps in their normal position closed, and the left hand part showing them lowered.

Fig. 4 shows the detail of the tipping traps.

According to the invention the iioor a of the premises, which carries all the seating space for the audience, can be moved vertically, without rotation, to bring it to the ground level b where very large exits c are provided all round the building.

This movement, for lowering as well as raising, is carried out as follows:

The floor a is mounted on a nut d, within which a hollow bolt e can rotate, this bolt e being connected, at its lower end f, to a stationary socket g forming a guide h for the vertical movement.

A pin i, capable of being withdrawn in the direction of the arrow 7' by a cable from a windlass 7c against the action of a spring Z, prevents the movement of the bolt e.

Columns m slide inside hollow pillars z on stationary rods n, arranged around the periphery to guide the arrangement.

An aperture o, whichl can be hermetically sealed by a valve p, 'is provided for the introduction of a body s of dynamite, for example, into a chamber q, having an upper cover r; this body s, being capable of producing an intense gaseous dispersion, when it enters into contact with an appropriate liquid t, which is dropped upon it, and which is contained in a reservoir u. This is provided, at its lower end, with orices which can be opened or closed by a valve v to which is given a movement of 90.

A baille arrangement w, centrally disposed as i Well as the length of the movable columns m '(not shown in the drawings) prevents all possibility of this gas escaping except when the movable portions are in the raised position, that is to say, when the parts provided in the hollow pillars e are uncovered by the columns m.

Stairs Vy, rising from the Iground level b, give access to the oor a, when it is in its raised or normal position.

A platform 2, sliding on slightly inclined runways 3, takes the place of the iioor a, when this is lowered.

In the modication, shown in Fig. 2, this platform is in two parts 2 and .21, and pivots into position on axes 13.

Series of ball bearings or roller bearings 4, 5, 6 and 7 facilitate the displacement of the movable parts with respect to the stationary.

The operation of the arrangement is as follows:-

When the chamber 8 is required to be rapidly cleared, the windlass k is employed to remove the pin i, which frees the bolt e. This latter, owing to the load which it carries, commences to rotate in the `direction of the arrow 9, whilst resting on the socket g, and the nut d and oor a are lowered, until this latter reaches the ground level b, from where the audience can be rapidly evacuated through the large doors c. Simultaneously with this lowering movement, the movable platform 2 (either that .shown in Fig. 1 or that shown in Fig. 2) takes the place of the iioor a, so that flames, plaster, or slates, cannot fall on to the audience during its descent. This platform limits .at the same time the material damage if the re develops.

To raise the floor into its initial position, a body s of dynamite, for example, is introduced into the `chamber q, the valve p closed, and the valve o rotated to drop liquid t from the reservoir u. An intense cloud of gas is liberated, the force of the expansion of which acts at 10 and 11 .on the columns m, and raises the floor a, nut d and bolt e, into the higher position.

The bolt e, rotating in the. direction of the arrow 12, owing to its own weight, comes in contact with the stop r, when it is locked afresh by the pin z'. The gaseous products from the body s can only escape when the orilce X, in the pillars Z, are uncovered my the column m. An inspection cap 14 is provided for cleaning the chamber q.

This operation of cleaning can be assisted, or completely performed, by means of one or more mechanical jacks, or by a similar system of hand or electric jacks.

T-he movable kplatform 2 or 21, provided to take the place of the iioor a, after this has been moved, may be in the form of a reservoir or suitable chamber into which is directed, by nozzles suitably placed, water or chemical products, which will automatically extinguish any flaming material falling in it.

In the arrangement, shown in Figs. 3 and 4, vand applicable to the upper iioors of a building, at the height of each stationary oor, carrying seats 16, for the audience, is mounted a horizontal rod 17 on which is pivoted a movable partition 18, acting when in its raised position (on the right of Fig. 3) to close the will 25, and tting into large openings 19, provided to receive it, and when in the lowered position (on the left oi Fig. 3), prolonging outside the building the stationary floor 15. A stop 20 limits the movement in the direction oi' the arrow 21.

As shown in Fig. 4 in order that the audience need not move from their seats, when a iire occurs and to avoid all panic, and limit the material damage, the tipping partitions 18 can cause the movement to the outside, in the direction of the arrow 24 of the seats 16, by any suitable means (slides 22 or chains 23 for example).

From the exterior `platforms 18 the audience can be evacuated by any suitable means, such as inclined planes, stairs or ladders 26.

In the arrangement, shown in Fig. 4, the seats 16 may be brought directly on to lifts which in'- 1stantly transport them automatically to ground evel.

As goes without saying, and as a result of the foregoing the invention is not limited to the one means of operation described, nor to the several parts, but includes any mode of operation, as well as the combination shown in the drawings.

What I claim as my invention and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:-

A building having a wall provided with an opening, a fixed floor extending from one side of said wall at a point near the lower side of said opening, a sliding gallery on said xed oor and arranged opposite said opening and adapted to be moved therethrough, and a floor element pivotally mounted in said opening and momentarily closed therein, and when in open, horizontal position, being substantially level with said xed floor, and means by which said sliding gallery is connected to said pivotally mounted oor element so that when said pivotally mounted floor element is turned to horizontal position said sliding gallery is withdrawn from the xed iioor and through said opening in the wall and is supported on and by said pivotally mounted oor element,

JULES ERNEST VARIN. 

